


Break the Ice

by SLD24



Category: One Direction
Genre: AU, Christmas Time, Larry being adorable, M/M, Mermaid!Harry, Mythology - Freeform, Winter, and ice, and larry - Freeform, iceskater Louis, it's cute, kind of, larry - Freeform, larry fluff, there's a lake
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-24
Updated: 2015-12-24
Packaged: 2018-05-08 21:34:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5514155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SLD24/pseuds/SLD24
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis is an ice skater who practices on a frozen lake, Harry is a merman that only wants to meet him</p>
            </blockquote>





	Break the Ice

**Author's Note:**

> AU by the wonderful Julia (@WORLDLWT) thank you for letting me use it and I pray that I did it justice

It started two months ago. The noises from up above. Long glides of slicing ice or sharp cuts on the icy overlay on the lake. It was really a mixture of both and sometimes a loud thud. Harry was too nervous to swim close to surface to find out what it was. Although after a while he put his context clues together and assumed it was one of the members of the new family that moved into the house on the lake two months ago. He liked to just lay on the bottom to watch the shadow race across in circles and figure 8's and swirls. 

He never got a chance to meet the owners when they moved in- well not meet- more like view from a distance. They wouldn't have moved in if they knew a mermaid was living in the lake. Harry doesn't mind being alone but when he watches the families of the lake house playing ball or gardening or sledding in the backyard he can't help but feel a little heart broken. He can't remember much of his past. He can't remember it at all. It's all black. Just like the bottom of the lake during the winter. The layer of ice on the water blocks the sunlight from reaching the bottom so Harry spends most of his days in the dark. When the figure isn't skating on the ice Harry will swim closer to the top to feel some warmth. His body adapts to any temperature so that's not a problem for him. The only problem he has right now is figuring out whose making all those lines on the ice. 

"It'll be fun!" Harry lifted his head up and stared at the ice above. It was shadow free. He unwrapped his emerald green tail from around him and kept his ears open for the sweet voice again. 

"We could fall in," a different voice protested. A thicker, more congested sounding voice. Possibly Irish. Harry has a vague memory of what Irish people sound like because a Irish family once lived at the lake house. He knew they were Irish because of the way St. Patrick's day was treated. And the big Irish flag they had hung up. 

"We won't fall in. I've been skating on it all winter." The voice was like music to Harry's ears. He could listen to the smooth, choppy accent all day. He wanted to put the voice on tape and continuously hit the replay button. The voice could be saying something mundane and Harry would still find it the most amusing thing in the world. 

Then it clicked. He said he had been skating on it all winter. The sweet voice belonged to the shadow that's been on the ice. Except, Harry didn't have a face to the voice. Or a name. A name would be nice. He prayed the Irish one would say it. 

"Fine, fine, fine," the Irish one huffed and Harry located their voices at one edge of the lake. He realized the two boys were young, maybe his age, so they were in no means a threat. He flicked his tail and propelled himself towards the ice to get a better listen. 

Harry nearly jumped out of his scales when a skate landed on the ice and took off away from the edge. He raised his eyebrows and listened as the scraping got closer then halted to a stop right above him. They can't see through the ice it's too thick. 

"Don't show off," the Irish one sounded annoyed then his skates landed on the ice. 

"I was warming up," the other said and Harry closed his eyes letting the sound travel through his ears. "Now do you even know where to start?" 

"No and I'm scared out of my mind because this is a real lake and theirs below freezing water below us."

Harry chuckled and just hovered below the bickering friends. It was endearing in a way because Harry imagined he'd have friends like that one day. Friends to hang out with and fight with without actually hating each other. 

"Niall. I promise you the ice is sturdy!" The sweet voice sighed in frustration which was adorable. Even if he wanted to sound all angry his honeyed voice wasn't made for it. He could say every curse word known to man and still come off as adorable. 

"Okay whatever," Niall sounded fed up and Harry watched as the second figure pushed himself across the ice. He was much slower and uneven than the other. The other boy with the musical voice took off and this time Harry followed. He struggled to make the sharp turns as fast but then he realized the boy was making figure 8's. He swam below and kept his eyes up just mirroring the shadow above him. 

"Louis, I'm getting my hat, it's fucking freezing," Niall interrupted and Harry heard Louis skid to a stop. Louis. Such a soft, loving name. Harry heard Niall skate to the edge then his shadow disappeared. 

"Come on Louis, skate again," Harry said to himself wanting to chase Louis around more. It was fun and even though Louis didn't know Harry was down there it felt like they were hanging out. It felt like Harry had a friend. 

"Told you you should've put one on!" Louis laughed then glided slowly to the edge of the lake. Harry panicked thinking he was leaving but he simply turned around and came to a halt. Harry waited and flicked his tail beneath him ready to follow Louis on whatever route around the lake he was to lead him on. 

Louis skated forward with long strides and Harry was quick to follow. After a few rounds of lunges and circles Louis came to the center of the ice. His blades spinning circles in one spot and Harry could only follow with his eyes. He was spinning like a top. Harry smiled as he only imagined how majestic Louis looked. Everything about him so far was delightful and soft. His movements, his voice, his name. 

Louis' spins came to a stop but the skating carried on as he pushed himself along the ice. Harry kept up even when Louis' speed increased. He's never skated quite that fast before. Harry followed but then the skates left the ice as if Louis jumped. Harry halted then heard a loud crack as the ice shattered a few feet away from him. Louis' skates crushing into the ice then the rest of Louis followed. 

Harry widened his eyes as Louis' body came submerged into the ice cold water. He swam as fast as he could and grabbed Louis' flailing arms. His feet kicking and one of the blades sliced against Harry's tail. Harry called out and let go of Louis as pain rippled through him. He glanced as the red blood clouded the water but then he realized Louis was sinking. The boy's body stiffening quickly and his skin looked white as snow. Harry darted after him and grabbed him around the waist swimming towards the opening. His tail throbbed but he knew Louis couldn't be in the water this long. He held Louis up and the boy's arms started shaking as soon as they left the water. Louis tried grabbing onto something but his gloves continuously slipped on the ice. Harry heaved again and pushed Louis so his upper half was on the ice. He winced as Louis' skate cut against his bicep and more blood filled the water. The gash was deep and Harry felt light headed. 

"Help!" Louis cried and Harry gave one last push to get Louis' legs out of the ice water. Harry hesitated then popped his head up through the hole. His eyes landing on the soaking wet mess that laid bundled on the ice. His body trembling and layers of clothes soaking wet. 

"Are you alright?" Harry asked but he knew he wasn't. Humans don't adapt to water temperatures like mermaids do. Louis' eyes snapped towards the voice and his eyes widened. He yelled for help again and Harry's heart ached as he watched Louis' stiff muscles try to push away from Harry. "No no no don't be scared," Harry frowned. "I helped you, it's okay," he whispered and Louis' teeth simply chattered. His eyes filled with worry and fright. His skin the color of the ice he laid on. 

"Y-you-you're a-ar-arm is-is blee-bleeding," he stuttered and his breath was visible in the air. 

Harry glanced at his arm and frowned. The cut was deep and now that Harry wasn't focused on Louis he realized how painful each gash was. 

"I'm okay," Harry lied and bit his lip to hold back tears. He could tell Louis wanted to cry but he was too cold to cry. "You need to get warm," he mumbled as that was obvious but he didn't know what to do. Louis was just laying there freezing in his own body. "Can you walk?" He asked. He glanced at the house praying Niall would appear but he was taking so long. What if no one came out to help? What if Louis died? 

"N-no," Louis whimpered and hugged his arms around his shivering body. "I-I'm-I'm- v-v-very-I'm n-numb."

Harry panicked and figured he could try something. He knew he could control his body temperature of he really tried so he propped himself out of the water. Half of his tail still submerged in water. He hesitantly reached forward and placed his hands on Louis' cheeks. The boy gasped and closed his eyes. 

"Y-y-you're w-warm," he stuttered and inched closer to Harry. Harry gulped and scooted out of the water so just the fin of his tail was in the water. He gently laid down with Louis and kept his arms around the boy. He didn't want to squeeze too hard but then Louis' hands were gripping at Harry's arms begging to be held tighter. 

"You're clothes are really cold," Harry mumbled as they were still soaking wet and he assumed they probably weren't making Louis warm. 

"I-I t-t-think I-I n-need to-to t-take them-them off," Louis shivered and his hands squeezed Harry's. Harry's bicep continued to bleed but blood was the least of both of their worries. Harry could heal from a cut but he didn't know if Louis could heal if he froze. You can't defrost a heart. 

Harry nodded as that sounded like a good idea so he gently removed Louis' gloves and hat first. Louis tried helping but his movements were slow and they looked quite painful. Harry decided to take the skates off next as Louis worked to slowly unzip his jacket. Once Harry got the skates off he shimmied Louis out of his jeans only to find leggings on underneath. He managed to unstick them from Louis' legs as well. Louis curled up into a ball wearing only boxer briefs and a lose blue t-shirt now. 

"Better?" Harry tried and Louis shrugged in response. Harry grabbed Louis' leggings and tightly wrapped them around his cut to make it stop bleeding. Louis was already freezing he didn't need to be covered in blood, too. Harry went back to hugging Louis like a warm Christmas sweater and widened his eyes when Louis somehow mustered up the strength to turn around and hide his face into Harry's chest. Harry smiled and let the boy snuggle into his warm body as he rubbed his back. Harry started humming a sweet melody hoping to distract the boy. He knew panicking only made situations worse. 

"Louis?" Harry gulped after a few minutes and tilted his chin down feeling Louis' hair brush against it. Louis glanced up with ice blue eyes and Harry felt his breath get caught in his throat. He hadn't noticed those before. Wow. "You stopped shivering."

"You're w-warm," Louis whispered back then hid his face again. Harry blushed and gently moved Louis to lay on top of him so he wasn't against the ice. Harry laid on his back and Louis rested on top of him like a little kitten resting on a person's lap. 

"Are you warm?" Harry asked and kept his hands moving on Louis' back to spread the warmth. 

"Mhm," Louis hummed and his face was smooshed against Harry's neck. His breath felt much warmer against Harry's skin now. "You-you have a tail."

Harry frowned and felt Louis' foot gently slide against his scales. "Erm, yeah I do," he gulped hoping Louis wouldn't just run off or go into a panic. "I'm-"

"A mermaid," Louis whispered and his foot kept touching Harry's tail as if to make sure it was real. Harry stayed quiet as Louis seemed to be mesmerized by what Harry was. Talking also seemed to take a lot of effort out of Louis as he proceeded to warm up. Thank god Harry could control his body temperature. "That's cool," he added on. 

"Not as cool as you," Harry mumbled then cursed at himself for making such a stupid pun. He heard Louis stifle a laugh against his neck so maybe it wasn't that stupid. Harry continued to cling onto Louis until he swore the boy was warmer than him now. 

"Thank you," Louis whispered but kept his head rested on Harry's chest obviously not wanting to get off and face the ice. 

"You're welcome," Harry grinned and looked down at Louis. His fringed hair was still damp and slightly covered in snow. Most had melted but a few white specks strayed behind. 

"I read a myth about a mermaid in this lake," Louis brought up and Harry raised his eyebrow as Louis tilted his head up to face him. The boy's chin rested upon Harry's chest and for once he got a good look at his face. A face of an absolute angel. His skin was so smooth and soft and his eyes contrasted greatly against his tan skin that was obviously paler due to the winter. His cheekbones were sharper than his ice skates and his eyelashes were longer than any spider legs Harry had ever seen. His nose was a sharp red from Jack Frost nipping at it and his pink lips were mixed with a light shade of blue. 

"You're beautiful," Harry blurted out then his eyes widened. Blood rushed to his cheeks and he squeezed his eyes shut. 

"I was gonna say the same thing," Louis giggled and Harry kept his eyes shut hoping he'd melt away. He was so embarrassed for saying that out loud. Then he felt a finger pull up on his eyelid and he was met with an endearing smile. Harry let both his eyes open slowly and blue met green. 

"Oh," Harry whispered and bashfully looked down then back up. "I-I um-could I watch you skate one day?" He asked shyly as now there's a hole in the ice for Harry to look out of. 

Louis smiled widely and the skin beside his eyes crinkled. "Why do I have a feeling you already have been?" He giggled sweetly.


End file.
